1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an emergency monitoring system for monitoring a person in a dwelling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In case of an emergency, a serious illness or an accident in one's own dwelling, persons who live alone must summon external assistance, usually by telephoning relatives, a physician or an emergency center. There are many situations wherein this is problematical for the affected party, for example because (after falling) the person can no longer reach the telephone or can no longer act with appropriate direction (when unconscious or due to mental confusion). The affected persons are then helpless in their own dwelling and may have to wait for assistance for a very long time.
There are various emergency call systems for home use wherein a signal means, for example an alarm button, must be worn on the body. Upon actuation of this alarm button, the appertaining receiving station--which is usually coupled to the telephone--triggers an emergency call to a predetermined number. This has two serious disadvantages:
First, the signal means must always be carried along by the user, for example even when bathing (a focal point of accidents). This also assumes that a corresponding awareness of a problem is present in the case of the affected party (admitting one's own need for assistance).
Second, active collaboration of the user is always necessary. This is problematical, for example, given unconsciousness or mental confusion.
Further, German AS 29 22 542 discloses a security system for monitoring individual persons wherein a device to be worn on the body of an individual person monitors a signal derived from the pulse of the individual person in common with a signal adjustable in time sequence and, given failure of these signals to arrive, sends an identifier to the individual person. When this identifier is not deleted, an emergency call is sent to a central office. In this case as well, the device must always be worn on the body, so that a continuous monitoring is not always assured.